Jeep Patriot Outranks Hybrid Compact-SUVs in Efficiency Ranking

Date 2009/4/10 8:22:34 | Topic: Patriot

Cars.com just released a "Best Hybrids for the Money" report which ranks hybrids on a "efficiency-cost" rating (combined city/highway mpg rating divided by the base MSRP multiplied by 1000). The winner in the compact-SUV category was the Ford Escape. So where's the news? It's the fact that the Jeep Patriot trounced the Escape in the efficiency-cost rating:

The Ford Escape gets the compact-SUV slot because it's priced lower than its sibling, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid (1.12). The Mazda Tribute Hybrid actually ranks higher (1.16) due to a lower starting price, but it's sold only in California. All three models are good choices. They are the most efficient SUVs on the market, though the recently improved non-hybrid Escape and Tribute outrank them in efficiency cost (1.22 for the Tribute), as does the miserly Jeep Patriot (1.43). Like the Fusion's, the hybrid SUVs' tax credits halve Sept. 30. Note that all-wheel-drive versions of these models already get a lower, $975 credit to begin with.